Editor’s Note: The Philippine Business and News Embassy Night also known as ThePhilBizNews Embassy Night is an original concept of the author way back in 2018 and was postponed due to the pandemic. While many hotels had offered to host it, the first Embassy Night was staged at Okada Manila and THEPHILBIZNEWS did not make a fuss about it and chose the graceful transition in messaging from Embassy Night to Okada Night.
By Monsi A. Serrano
Your Excellencies Ambassador Ilan Fluss of the Embassy of Israel, Ambassador Dr. Johanne Brieger and Roswhitha Brieger of the Embassy of Austria, Ambassador Peter Kell of the Embassy of New Zealand, Ambassador Michel Parys of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium, Ambassador Annika Thunborg of the Embassy of Sweden, and Ambassador Mohammed Rids El Fassi of the Embassy of Morocco.
Representatives from the Embassies of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, France, Australia, Ireland, Norway, Romania, Iran, EU Delegations, Taiwan, and Consulate of Ukraine.
The Executives and Management team of Okada Manila led by Ivaylo Ivanov, Andreas Balla, Cielo Reboredo, the Captains of the Industries in the Philippines, distinguished guests, esteemed media colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, good evening!
THEPHILBIZNEWS is proud and humbled to have gathered all of you here for a historical night with Okada Manila, the largest integrated resort in Asia. Look around you… this is probably the biggest diplomatic and Philippine business sector gathering you’ve graced that is neither presidential nor official.
I invite you to be relaxed, to wear a smile and enjoy the evening. For this is truly a dream come true for our online news establishment whose pages are known to you as having been dedicated to fostering the means and ends of your respective missions – that is, to build stronger bonds, be it in business, culture, education or plain friendships among our nations.
Being at the forefront of promoting various embassy and consulate initiatives, I have always thought of an “Embassy Night” and thanks to this grand and gracious hotel, there can be no better wining and dining but here at “Okada Night.”
Right now, I recall that through our past partnerships, ThePhilBizNews has given a voice to local companies and international businesses looking to establish a presence in the Philippines, reinforcing awareness more effectively to their target market and demographic.
Our mission to be every Filipino’s preferred source of factual information wherever they are in the world will remain. It shall encompass entrepreneurs and industry decision-makers and commit to further promote of investments and people-to-people understanding.
In our discussions, I’ve always said that for Filipinos, the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about the embassy is the visa! But in our continuing relationship, ThePhilBizNews shall strive harder to make the very special role of embassies known – especially in times of disasters, this pandemic, and opportunities you never miss to lend a hand like in education, cultural exchange, countryside development, investments and aid, among others.
We are very forever grateful to our friends in the diplomatic community for always being there with no strings attached. Through the years, you have been very supportive to our country and our people. With this new administration, we hope that your continued support will be there as our country aspires for economic recovery in the post-pandemic world.
I think of my mother, probably smiling down on me now. You see, I’ve repeatedly broken her heart in my foolish youth that she had found it difficult to picture me not wasting my life away. My point here, being that some may have already written off our country from achieving a rosy future after this pandemic. But clearly, no one can tell what lies ahead. The Philippines looks up to you as dear friends and allies and its people are well tested for being your friends indeed. We can work together.
Being a media company in these times is both a great challenge and a humbling opportunity to be in the service of the public. We in THEPHILBIZNEWS aspire to be deserving of this honor and responsibility.
Again, thank you so much for coming out tonight and our profound gratitude to Okada Manila for sponsoring this event. May God bless us all. Mabuhay!
